Linaro launched a “Linaro IoT and Embedded” (LITE) group, to develop end-to-end open source reference software for IoT devices and applications.

Linaro, which is owned by ARM and major ARM licensees, and which develops open source software for ARM devices, launched a Linaro IoT and Embedded (LITE) Segment Group at this week’s Linaro Connect event in Las Vegas. The objective of the LITE initiative is to produce “end to end open source reference software for more secure connected products, ranging from sensors and connected controllers to smart devices and gateways, for the industrial and consumer markets,” says Linaro.

Carbon (click to enlarge)

Also at Linaro Connect, Linaro debuted the Carbon single board computer, the first board to comply with Linaro’s 96Boards.org-hosted IoT Edition (IE) SBC specification, and the first non-Linux and MCU-based 96Boards SBC.

Both 96Boards.org and LITE will support Carbon and other future 96Boards IE hardware including RTOS-driven Cortex-M and -R boards and Linux-based Cortex-A boards. Carbon, 96Boards IE, and LITE were all announced at Linaro Connect Las Vegas 2016.

Initially, LITE will focus on the microcontroller (MCU) world, where the Linux- and Android-focused Linaro has yet to enter. Early products will include a bootloader, security, communications, middleware, and a choice of application programming tools.

The group will also develop an “RTOS platform,” which given Linaro’s ARM backing, might be based on ARM’s Cortex-M oriented Mbed OS. The LITE announcement notes that Linaro recently joined the Linux Foundation’s Zephyr Project as a Platinum member alongside Intel, NXP, and Synopsis. Yet, LITE also notes it plans to work with ARM “to extend and expand the ARM mbed IoT Device Platform and ecosystem.” Linaro’s announcement also said LITE will evaluate other open source RTOS solutions.

At Linaro Connect, LITE previewed the technology behind the MCU-based IoT Reference Platform, which will initially be released in December. Later, LITE will also work on Linux- and Cortex-A based “smart device and gateway solutions for IoT.”

Canonical and Red Hat are listed as founding members of LITE, along with ARM, Huawei, NXP, RDA, Spreadtrum, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, and ZTE. In addition, Canonical Director of Engineering Oliver Ries said Canonical would work with LITE “to enable Snap-based Ubuntu Core support in the Linaro Reference Platforms.” Red Hat’s Global IoT initiative leader Karen Farmer, meanwhile, said Red Hat would work with LITE to help “drive standards for the development of Linux-based, commercial IoT platforms running on ARMv8-A processors,” as well as assist in middleware, security, and other areas.

 
Further information

Additional information about LITE may be found in Linaro’s LITE announcement.